Safety Sleeve

ABSTRACT

A heat-resistant, protective sleeve is worn on the forearm of a cook or waiter, with a patch of material attached to the sleeve that stabilizes and grips a plate when the waiter is delivering multiple plates of food balanced on one arm. The patch has a number of configurations, including ribbed/valleys, non-skid surfaces, strips of ridges and/or non-skid strips, adjustable hook and loop fasteners, buttons, snaps and magnets.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority back to U.S. Provisional No. 63/351,398, filed Jun. 12, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this utility patent application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was not federally sponsored.

INVENTOR

Louis Hayward, resident of Carlsbad, CA, and citizen of USA.

ATTORNEY DOCKET

Safety_Sleeve

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention: This invention relates to the general field of safety devices, and more specifically to a protective sleeve for use in the food and beverage industry that not only protects the arm from burns, but also retains plates during meal service.

Brief Description of Invention. The invention is a sleeve of neoprene or another similar heat-resistant material that is worn over the forearm of a cook, barista or waiter, with a second patch attached to the sleeve which has non-skid properties that help prevent plates from sliding while a waiter is carrying food to a table.

Statement of the Problem. Cooks often burn their forearms due to splattering of hot grease and water, and touching hot cooking pans and other hot objects. Waiters often carry plates that are both hot and slippery. Baristas, dishwashers, food runners and other people who work around hot food and machines that expel hot steam from time to time are often burned by the steam, hot plates, and food that was just removed from the oven. Dishwashers have the added danger of touching hot plates and utensils when a load is done, and baristas have to prepare and carry hot cups of coffee and other beverages. Thus, it would be desirable for the food and beverage industry to have a device that both protects workers from getting burned by hot objects, hot liquids, or hot steam, and gives waiters and other servers a better grip on plates and cups as they are serving food or hot drink.

There exist large, bulky “oven mitts” that have forearm protection built in, but these are too bulky for many cooks to like them, and they are not professional enough in appearance for waiters to use.

The current invention provides just such a solution by providing a sleeve made from a heat-resistant, breathable material such as neoprene, that fits over the forearm of a cook or waiter, thereby protecting the wearer against burns from hot food, hot cooking pots and utensils, and hot plates. The sleeve also has a patch of a second material attached to the sleeve which in addition to providing additional protection against heat and burns, also provides a non-skid surface that will help a waiter keep plates from sliding off his/her arms while carrying food to a table.

Statement of the Invention

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a forearm sleeve made from breathable neoprene, with a patch of a non-skid material attached to the sleeve.

It is contemplated that the sleeve could be made from Airprene®, Ventaprene®, Lycra®, Spandex® or a similar compound.

It is contemplated that the non-skid patch could be made from strata “ribbed” neoprene, slickskin neoprene, strata slickskin neoprene, or other non-skid material.

It is contemplated that the invention could be made by attaching the patch to the sleeve, or by 3D printing the patch and sleeve as one unit using a minimum of two types of material.

It is contemplated that among the methods of making the sleeve and attaching the patch to the sleeve include, but are not limited to flat stitching, blind stitching, overlock stitching, glue, heat sealing, being sprayed on, and/or being painted on.

It is also contemplated that the sleeve could be adjustable or removable, through hook and loop fasteners, magnets, snaps, buttons and other removable contact items.

Objects of the Invention

One object of the invention is to provide a protective sleeve that will protect a cook or waiter from getting burned by hot food, liquids, grease, pots and pans, and service plates.

A second object of the invention is to provide a means by which a waiter can effectively retain one or more plates in a balanced position on his/her arm during serving.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

It should be understood the while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Several preferred forms of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the “ribbed” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side, perspective view of the “ribbed” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the “non-skid” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side, perspective view of the “non-skid” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention on the arm of a person.

FIG. 6 is a side, perspective view of a person using the invention to secure a plate.

FIG. 7 is a closer, side, perspective view of a person using the invention to secure a plate.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the “strip” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the “adjustable” embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a close-up, perspective view of the top of one embodiment of the patch.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the patch where hook and loop fasteners are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of another embodiment of the patch where hook and loop fasteners are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where buttons or snaps are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where buttons or snaps are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where magnets are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where magnets are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the sleeve with a stylized patch that allows a restaurant or other business to promote their name on the invention.

FIG. 18 is a top, perspective view of the device on the arm of a server.

FIG. 19 is a top view of one embodiment of the patch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the “ribbed” embodiment of the invention. The invention has a sleeve 1 and a patch 2. The sleeve is larger at the elbow end 3 than at the wrist end 4, thereby allowing the sleeve to comfortably and yet securely removably attach to the arm of the user. In this embodiment, the patch 2 is the “ribbed” version, with ridges 5 and valleys 6. The sleeve protects a cook against splattering hot grease, hot water, and against burns from hot pots and cooking utensils. The ridges and valleys serve to grip a plate while a waiter is delivering food to a table, as well as protecting the waiter's arm from hot plates. The ridges can, optionally, be coated with a non-skid material.

FIG. 2 is a side, perspective view of the “ribbed” embodiment of the invention. This view shows how the patch 2 is attached to the sleeve, in this case by heat sealing, and how the ridges 5 and valleys 6 are arranged.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the “non-skid” embodiment of the invention. The patch 2 in this embodiment is a non-skid material, which can be attached to the sleeve 1 through stitching, gluing, or heat sealing. This figure also illustrates the difference in diameter between the elbow end 3 and the wrist end 4 of the sleeve 1.

FIG. 4 is a side, perspective view of the “non-skid” embodiment of the invention. This illustration shows the non-skid patch 2 attached to sleeve 1 by stitching 7.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention on the arm of a person. The person's hand 8 goes through the sleeve 1, first through the elbow end 3 and then through the wrist end 4, such that the sleeve naturally stops when the forearm of the user is the same diameter and the elbow end 3 of the sleeve 1. The patch 2 is located such that it can grip the underside of a plate while a waiter is using the invention to carry plates to a table.

FIG. 6 is a side, perspective view of a person using the invention to secure a plate. In this figure, the sleeve 1 has a “ribbed” patch 2. The plate 9 has a bottom ridge and mates with one of the sleeve's valleys 6.

FIG. 7 is a closer, side, perspective view of a person using the invention to secure a plate. Here it is clear that bottom ridge of the plate 9 fits into a valley 6 that is bounded on either side by ridges 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the “strip” embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, strips 10 of non-skid material are attached at various locations along the sleeve to prevent plates from slipping as a waiter is carrying them.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the “adjustable” embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, hook & loop 11 fasteners allow for the adjustment of where the gripping portions of the invention are located.

FIG. 10 is a close-up, perspective view of the top of one embodiment of the patch. The ridges 5 and valleys 6 are clearly visible, and oriented in a perpendicular manner to the direction of a plate being held by a server.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the patch where hook and loop fasteners 11 are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve. The use of hook and loop fasteners 11 allows the patch to be located at different positions on the sleeve.

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of another embodiment of the patch where hook and loop fasteners 11 are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where buttons or snaps 12 are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve. This allows for quick attachment/removal of the patch, or replacement of one patch with another patch, in a rapid and efficient fashion.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where buttons or snaps 12 are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where magnets 13 are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve. This embodiment allows a food service establishment to have a single sleeve with a variety of different patches, each of which can be attached/detached quickly and efficiently.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention where magnets are used to removably attach the patch to the sleeve.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the sleeve 1 with a stylized patch 14 that allows a restaurant or other business to promote their name on the invention. It should be noted that this patch can be either a “valley and ridge” patch on the underside of the device, or a “top patch” that goes on the upper surface of the server's arm, where it will be more visible to patrons of the restaurant.

FIG. 18 is a top, perspective view of the device on the arm of a server, showing the elbow end 3 and wrist end 4 of the invention, along with the sleeve 1 and patch 2 elements. This particular patch has an insignia 15, designed into it, to display the name of a company or restaurant.

FIG. 19 is a top view of one embodiment of the patch, showing the ridges 5 and valleys 6.

In addition to the embodiments discussed using these figures for purposes of illustration, a number of additional embodiments are contemplated.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiments, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved. 

What I claim as my invention is:
 1. A device for the protection of cooks, waiters, food runners and other workers associated with the restaurant industry and food service in general, consisting of: a sleeve and a patch, wherein the patch is attached to an outer surface of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is heat resistant, wherein the sleeve is breathable, wherein the sleeve has an elbow end and a wrist end, wherein the elbow end has an elbow diameter and wherein the wrist end has a wrist diameter, and wherein the elbow diameter is larger than the write diameter, wherein the sleeve has a plurality of ridges, and a plurality of valleys, wherein each valley is defined by two ridges, wherein each of the ridges has a non-skid top coat, wherein the sleeve is non-skid, wherein the patch is attached by heat transfer
 2. A device for the protection of cooks, waiters, food runners and other workers associated with the restaurant industry and food service in general, comprising: a sleeve and a patch, wherein the patch is attached to an outer surface of the sleeve.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the sleeve is heat resistant.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the sleeve is breathable.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the sleeve has an elbow end and a wrist end, wherein the elbow end has an elbow diameter and wherein the wrist end has a wrist diameter, and wherein the elbow diameter is larger than the write diameter.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the sleeve has a plurality of ridges, and a plurality of valleys, wherein each valley is defined by two ridges.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein each of the ridges has a non-skid top coat.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is non-skid.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the sleeve comprises two or more strips.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the sleeve comprises two or more hook and loop fasteners, such the location of one or more strips can be adjusted.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the one or more strips are ridges.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more strips are non-skid.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the patch is attached by heat transfer.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is manufactured by stitching together two sides of a single pane of material.
 15. The device of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is manufactured in a seamless manner using a 3-D printing machine.
 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sleeve and the patch are manufactured as a single until using a 3-D printing machine using two types of materials.
 17. The device of claim 11, wherein the patch is painted on.
 18. The device of claim 11, wherein the patch is sprayed on.
 19. The device of claim 11, wherein the patch is removably attached by hook and loop fasteners.
 20. The device of claim 11, wherein the patch is removably attached by buttons. 